Why medical notes have become billing scripts instead of patient stories

We tell ourselves documentation is for patient safety. For continuity. For protection. But let’s be honest. It’s for billing. And once you see that clearly, it is hard to unsee.

In training, I was taught that the note reflects the thinking of the physician. That it should tell the story of the patient and the rationale for each decision. But in practice, it does not. It is a tool for revenue …

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